Cystic Fibrosis

Description

A congenital, autosomal, metabolic disorder affecting the exocrine glands. The secretions of exocrine glands are abnormal, resulting in excessively viscid mucus production that causes obstruction of passageways, including pancreatic and bile ducts, intestines, and bronchi. Symptoms usually appear in childhood, and include meconium ileus, poor growth despite good appetite, malabsorption and foul bulky stools, chronic bronchitis with cough, recurrent pneumonia, bronchiectasis, emphysema, clubbing of the fingers, and salt depletion in hot weather secondary to increased sodium and chloride concentration in sweat.